Follower-plate for draw-bars



' .UNITED Srnrns CHARLES T. SCHOEN, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

FoLLoWER-PLATE Fo R DRAW-BARS'.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 437,940, dated October 7, 1890.

Application led July 16, 1890.

.To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES T. SCHOEN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Follower- Plates for the Draw-Ri ggin g of Railway-Cars, of which the following yis a full, clear, and exact description.

In the construction of follower-plates for the draw-bar springpockets of railway-cars the follower-plates are formed from a piece of iron cut to the proper length and width, with a hole drilled or punched through the center to permit the passage of the drawbar pin. It is obvious that there is no necessity for the full thickness of metal beyond the points or point in the follower-plate where the spring takes a bearing, in so far asimparting strength to the follower-plate is concerned. It is equally obvious that the center, being perforated, is the weaker part of the plate.

Now the object of my invention is to construct a follower-plate with a greater thickness of metal where greater strength is required and less thickness of metal where the least resistance is met, and form the opening therein in the dies instead of by drilling or punching, as has heretofore been practiced.

In the accompanying drawings, illustrating my invention, in the several figures of which like parts are similarly designated, Figure l shows in plan, side, and edge view the blank; and Fig. 2 shows in pian, side, and edge View my follower plate-constructed from such blank. Fig. 3 is aplan view of the dies. Fig. 4 is a longitudinal section of the dies, taken in the plane of line A B, Fig. 3; and Fig. 5 is a vertical cross-section of the dies, taken in the plane of line C D, Fig. 3.

The back of the follower-plate is iiat, while the face has a central elevation around the pin-hole, and thence tapers to its ends, and accordinglyl provide a male die or plunger a having a projection or tongue b. This male die will form the back of the follower. The

female die c has a cavity c' corresponding in Serial No. 3581946. (No model.)

shape to the face of the follower-plate, and is also provided with a tongue or projection CZ rising vertically through the said die. In order to operate the tongue or projection d, I bevel its lower end d', and arrange for cooperation with such beveled end a wedge block e, which, by means 0f the pin e is connected with a lever f secured to the die by a post or fulcrum pin g.

The dies will be arranged in any suitable press, as usual.

A flat rectangular blank h is taken and heated and placed in the female die, and then power is applied to bring the dies together, and as t-he metal iiows under the pressure of the dies'and in accordance with the shape of the said dies the said blank will be spread to form the fiat back h and central elevation h2, which receives the spring, and the sides h3 h3, which engage the guide-plates of the springpocket. At the same time, by the co-operai'on of the tongues or projections b and cl, the central hole h4 will be formed complete, with the exception of a thin web intervening between the two tongues or projections b and d, which web may afterward be punched or cut out in any suitable manner. By this operation I form a follower-plate very perfectly and very expeditiously, with the metal distributed in accordance with the resistance the plate is to bear in usage.

The dies described themselves may be used for punching or cutting out the' web or fin in the hole h4 in the following manner: When the follower-plate has been formed in the die, the wedge e is withdrawn, and what may be termed a dummy-pin is inserted in the hole formed by the upper die. After inserting this pin pressure is applied again and the pin or tongue in the upper die pushes the lower pin or tongue out of the way, thus cutting out the iin or web and leaving a clear straight hole.

Vhat I claim isl. A follower-plate for the spring-pockets of the draft-rigging for railway-cars, consisting of a central thick elevated portion to receive the spring and containing the pin-hole,

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set Ic and the reduced sides adjacent to said oenmy hand this 14th day of July, A. D. 1890.

trai elevation, substantially as described.

2. A follower-plate for the spring-pockets of the draw-rigging of railway-cars, having a central thickened portion containing the seat for the spring and the pin-hole, and reduced sides for engaging the guide-plates and forged in dies, substantially as described.

CHARLES T. SCHOEN.

Witnesses:

WM. H. SCHOEN, WM. WAGNER, Jr. 

